Fort Wayne Domestic Violence & Criminal Defense Attorney

In Indiana, domestic violence is a serious criminal matter. If convicted of physically abusing a spouse, a child, or another household member, you can end with a potentially lengthy jail sentence. In these types of cases, you need an experienced Indiana criminal defense attorney who will work hard on your behalf. At The Bellinger Law Office, we provide aggressive legal representation to help protect your rights in both criminal and family law cases. Let us help you in strategizing your best course of defense.

Common Types of Domestic Violence Indiana

The Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence defines abuse as behavior meant to harm or exert control over the behavior of another. Common types of domestic abuse include:

• Physical abuse: Involves hitting, punching, kicking, or using a weapon to cause bodily harm
• Financial abuse: Involves withholding money, restricting access to funds, restraining a partner from working, or sabotaging their job;
• Sexual abuse: Involves unwanted sexual comments, gestures, or advances, as well as rape and exploitation;
• Emotional abuse: Involves name-calling and put-downs, isolating the victim from family and friends, and stalking or monitoring activities.

Being accused of any of the above could result in a temporary protection order, prohibiting you from contacting or approaching the victim. You could be restricted from returning to your home and denied visitation rights with your children, while disobeying the order could result in your arrest. In cases alleging domestic violence of a physical nature, you could be facing serious criminal charges.  

Indiana Domestic Violence Criminal Charges

Under Section 35-42-2-1.3 of the Indiana Criminal Code, acts of domestic violence involving physical abuse against spouses, children, or others living in the home are classified as domestic battery. The exact charges depend on the type of abuse:

• Spitting on or touching a partner in a rude, insolent, or angry manner: Class A misdemeanor, punishable by fines up to $5,000 and a maximum one-year jail sentence.
• Abuse resulting in bodily harm or committed against or in front of children: Level six felony, punishable by fines up to $10,000 and maximum imprisonment of 2.5 years.
• Abuse resulting in serious bodily injury: Level five felony, punishable by fines and a mandatory jail sentence between one and five years.

When facing these types of penalties, you need an Indiana criminal defense attorney who will aggressively represent you, gathering evidence and testimony to disprove these charges and to protect your freedoms. Call or contact the Bellinger Law Office online today to get our team of experienced attorneys hard at work on your case.